Improvement in animal-traps



D. R. NICHOLS.

Animal-Trap.

Patented June 11, 1878..

. INVENTOR: fifi M a- ATTORNEYS.

PETERS, PHOTCFUTHDGRAPNER, WASHINGTON. DY;

UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID B. NICHOLS, OF ALEXANDRIA BAY, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN AN! MAL-TRAPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent 'No. 204,753, dated June11, 1878 application filed January 17, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID R. NronoLs, of Alexandria Bay, in the countyof.) efferson and State of New York, have invented anew and ImprovedSelf-Setting Animal-Trap, of which the following is a specification:

Figure l is avertical longitudinal section of my improved trap. Fig. 2is a vertical crosssection of the same. The object of this invention isto furnish an improved animal-trap which shall be simple in constructionand reliable in use, and which shall be so constructed as to set itselfafter each animal has been caught, and leave no trace of the trappedanimal to frighten away those that may come afterward.

The invention will first be described in connection with the drawing,and then pointed out in the claim.

A represents abox, barrel, or other suitable vessel, which may containwater, or may be set over a vessel containing water, or over a cage.

To the top of the box A is fitted a frame or platform, B, the middlepart of which is cut away, and has a door, 0, fitted into the openingthus formed.

The door G is pivoted, near its rear end, to the frame or platform B,and to the lower side of its rear end is attached a weight, D,sufficient to raise the said door into a horizontal position when leftfree.

To the forward part of the platform or frame B is rigidly attached thelowerend of a slightlyinclined board, E, to the upper part of which isattached the bait-hook F.

In the middle part of the board E is formed a transverse slot, in whichis pivoted a tripboard, G. The board G is beveled upon its oppositesides, above and below its slot as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

To the trip-board G are pivoted the ends of a loop, H, which interlockswith a loop formed upon the upper arm of the bent lever I.

The lever I is pivoted at its angle to the inclined board E, and itslower arm passed down through a slot in the forward p 111; of the frameor platform B, and has a shoulder formed upon it to catch upon the loweredge of the tripdoor 0, to hold the said door firmly, so that the animaltrapped for can walk over all parts of the said door without feeling ityield beneath him.

The lower end of the lever I, below its catchshoulder, is inclinedoutward, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the forward end of the door 0, asit rises, may push the said catch-lever I outward, pass above, and becaught and held by the said shoulder.

The shoulder of the catch-lever I has a small friction-roller, i,pivoted to it, to cause it to move easier upon the said door G.

The arms of the catch-lever I move between two curved guide-rods, J,attached to the inclined board E.

With this construction, as the animal steps upon the frame or platform Band the tripdoor 0, everything seems firm and secure, and

he sees nothing to prevent his escape at any time. In seeking to reachthe bait he places his fore feet upon the trip-board G, which withdrawsthe ea-tch-lever I from the end of the trip-door O, and the animal fallsinto the box A. As the animal slips from the door 0 the weight D bringsthe said door back into a. horizontal position, and the trap is againset for another animal.

I am aware that it is not new in animaltraps to use a weighted trap-doorretained by a catch-lever connected with a swinging baitarm, or tocombine with this a swinging apron with inclined bottom lever; but byusing a rigid bait-board, E, and pivoting the lever Gr in a hole of theboard E, the animal is not able to put his foot on anything that willprevent the tripping of the catch-lever. Hence,

What I claim is- The combination, with the catch-lever that has thefriction-roller i on a bend thereof, and holds the tilting platform ofan animal-trap, of the lever Gr, passing through and balanced on avertical bait-board, E, beneath the baithook, as and for the purposespecified.

DAVID RICHARDSON NICHOLS.

VVit-nesscs EBENEZER CAMPBELL, WM. H. THOMPSON.

